Giordano

So why do so many think that gazza is rubbish when clearly he is just learning his trade? He just needs games at a good level and confidence from being picked and some clean sheets. Doesn't anyone remember how " rubbish" de gea was ? Gazza would never get in I f picked by the fifa14 saints supporting managers out there. Should we put kd in or how about cc? It's laughable really. If you can't be positive about an no option situation please give him your support and let MP make the call....

We should only let players who will automatically be brilliant and the finished article play for SFC in any position. Goalies are the worst. If you are rubbish at lb or cf you can get taken off - but at gk its much worse. I remember when most of our so- called best players were not all that great at 90 minutes....Adam lallana when he was at Bournemouth on loan for instance...MS when he was apparently unable to tackle, shaw and chambers were sperm cells...only player I recall " doing it" from the off was SRL who scored on debut....basically it's about a 10% chance they are great from the off- 90% they won't- and the time scale could be 3 years plus ( as per Morgan for instance)....

Good goalkeeper but a greedy so and so happy to sit on a bench for his £90k than get a bit less and play. He has turned down loads of good offers from Italy (Napoli for one) already so cant see him bothering with us as we wont give him £90kpw either. I reckon he was told hes a shoe in for the Rio WC as long as he is fit. Wont get injured sitting on a bench that's for sure.

Jrod is a very good player. He is very competent at EPL level. Only a few more things and he will be England International class. Imo just needs mental help and to refine some technical skills. Physically he's got a great engine plus can accelerate away with ball at feet which is a great attribute an i think the current set up suits him now better than before. His break- outs with the ball in opponents half are very dangerous indeed and I'm sure feared by the opponents. I think he will play for England eventually but not this WC unless there's a load on injuries.

Chambers is the new Luke Shaw but bigger. He has got attacking DNA just like Clyne but both can defend and know how to do it properly rather than needing to be taught - which is often the problem when you ask an attacking player to have a defensive responsibility. It would not be a surprise for me to see CC playing at same time as Clyne on same flank. He's a very fit lad - i expect him to improve over the course of this season as knocks and suspensions ensure he gets his chances....like a poster above i await his Ivan golac moment - but i reckon he has got more than a little of the Gareth Bale about him. One " super- goal" could be the trigger for him to start rampaging down the right a bit more....terrorising the other EPL left backs who are mostly indifferent against his kind of pace and power imo...

I'm on plan B now which is hoping for a minor yet ruling out of the squad injury to both Portugese centre backs so that Jose gets a chance and hoping that DD realises that his France only scraped in by the skin of their teeth, again, and that he might want to mix it up for his Brazil squad as what he's picked and how they played so far has been not consistent or good enough. So both Jose and Morgan might yet get to go to Brazil as well... I think there is a good case for MS- DD has surely got to be seen to be trying something new- like bringing in a still only 24 year old player widely considered one of the best DM's in the EPl for two years...MS could be the rock to solidify that french national team - they got the flair players alright...

Apologies if this has been posted elsewhere but i heard the best terrace chant for ages c/o AFC Wimbledon versus Portsmouth the other day. With the score at 4-0 the AFC fans ( according to my mate who was there) started singing "The scores on your back, the scores on your back, Trevor Carson, the scores on your back" to the tune of "we know what you are" chant sung at John Terry. Trevor Carson is Portsmouth's goalkeeper. His squad number? 40. Priceless moment.I would love to have been there to sing that.

Oh- and of course all Saints fans want Sweden to get through! Am just about to start "I am Zlatan" and it won't be the same if he's not there...would lol if Anders makes it to Rio....but also if not just in case I'm hoping for injuries to the Portugese centre backs and the introduction of Jose ....at which point i shall become a Portugal fan as well..because I am a Southampton Supporter first and foremost. I'm a little minded parochial football fan and proud of it.

Yup, I guess I support England, Italy, Japan, Croatia and Uruguay at World Cups mostly these days. :-). In WC qualifiers I also support Northern Ireland as well. And Poland. And Kenya. And Zambia. And maybe even USA. And I still got a soft spot for Algeria. I think I might support France by the end of next year too. And possibly Argentina by the end of January, with a little luck ;-)

If Ukraine knock France out I reckon : (a) England "can" beat Ukraine so there is at least one other team out there in Brazil we can play against and (b) Morgan will finally get picked to play for Les Blues after the World Cup when the French federation conducts is obligatory "shake-up" and insists on whoever the new manager(or if they keep the current Diddy man) is to try other players not associated with the national humiliation of France not qualifying. He wouldn't say it but its Morgan's best chance. I don't think Deschamps will pick him for his squad otherwise...

If England play the Southampton style in full then I think one day England might have a chance to do well. But I do not think there is the willpower to do that ahead of Brazil. I think we will revert "to what we know", which to me unfortunately means our inevitable defeat in mid to latter stages and our inevitable being out thought and outplayed by other teams with only a few plucky individual performances and occasions to remember, yet again, from a major tournament for England. If anyone thought the Chile performance was Roy "trying" to get Eng to play like Southampton then they don't get what the Southampton way is about at all. Putting two of our players into what ostensibly looks like Southampton's formation is NOT the same as adopting our playing style. One simple example sums it up. How often in first half especially did you see Rooney running around chasing up front by himself - yet Adam and Jrod quite often were on the half way line in a defensive position? And he looked around as if to say " back me up". They would belatedly then jog up and be stranded by a couple of neat passes ....At Saints if that was Rickie then you could bet any money that Jrod, Ads, SD, JWP or whoever would be in the opponents half covering and cutting down options automatically, no encouragement needed. I could see Jrod frozen out there thinking "should i stay or should i go?"- no such confusion at Southampton - he's up there full press 9/10 times. Another example. How many times did the FB's under and overlap with the midfielders comfortably tucking in to cover them? Too infrequent. Another example: How many times did you see the CB trying to make long attacking passes? Too often. And did you see how long Cahill and Jones were on the ball - and in what positions? Too long on the ball too often. They should be giving the ball to the midfielders to do that. And retaining possession. Watching Cahill and Jones trying to be the creative force v Chile summed up the nonsense thinking. Roy should have been screaming at them to give it to Lampard/Wilshire/Adam/Milner quickly every time - if they were playing southampton style that is, which they were not.

Exactly. Zaha and Sterling must surely have been given a dressing down after that match. Zaha trying tricks in exposed positions and losing possession to dangerous counterattack and neither of them understanding the term "quick release of the ball"....reminded me of playground football in which there's always one that just plays for himself and wont pass....they will never make the grade with that attitude- compare and contrast to our two who were team players yet clearly technically excellent - its not either or. Watching Sterling decline an obvious pass to LS when in the corner was particularly galling...but then i thought - the two worst culprits are coached and playing at two of the biggest teams in the country - and yet they still play like that....says to me that they are not getting coached proper... The German first team coach Joachim Low was interviewed recently and when asked what was one of the main improvements in the National side over the last ten years he said it was the reduction in the average time a player spent on the ball....it was too long on the ball before- now in some games German players only are on the ball for 0.9 of a second - its all quick release first touch and make space to receive with excellent movement - not watching Johnny show-off trying to dribble past 5 players and score plus countless horizontal or backward passes...At least Saints are using that approach.....and Team England could do worse than just copy - starting with not selecting players who cannot do it and picking those who can!

Dropping like flies now...Gerrard and Walker join Welbeck and Carrick and Sturridge is delicate.........its like some players are calculating "have i done enough to get to Rio - and will playing against Chile improve or reduce those chances?....Because being made to look like muppets by chile will damage players chances whereas a win at Wembley - well its kind of expected so whats new? And the team will change for Germany in any case against whom a loss means nothing much .....so Chile is the nothing to gain for more established squad players and everything to lose match....its so obvious....You wont get to Rio based upon playing well against Chile - but you might rule yourself out in that match is what I'm thinking....I SO hope we start the Southampton three together. They will want to win, and win well, not fart arsing around trying to "look good" by not trying anything or making mistakes. I am concerned that some of the other players wont pass to the new boys too....but if theres three Saints we should be able to sort that out...Play fearlessly lads!!!!

Was disappointed to read that Wilshire might only play v chile but not v germany - so HE CAN BE RESTING HIS ANKLE AND BE FIT IN TIME TO PLAY FOR ARSENAL V SAINTS... AM I THE ONLY MUG WHO THINKS ITS A GREAT HONOUR TO BE ASKED LET ALONE PLAY FOR YOUR COUNTRY? Long after he has bought his nth ferrari and sitting back in one of his numerous luxury homes dotted across the world will he be able to know that the country was proud of him? That's why i was so happy for Rickie. Rickie respects the privilege and the honor of selection. The chances of Rickie crying off injured in any game let alone an England game are incredibly small. He is not immune to niggles and strains though. Compare that to many, many other players in the England squad and periphery. Its a joke and a disgrace. The whole country is desperate to believe in english footballing heroes, wholesome players that kids mums grandads and aunties can admire and look up to. To see so many not available for england yet playing 90 minutes three days in EPL later sickens me. I would'nt give them the second chance no matter how "good" they are.

http://www.theguardian.com/football/2013/nov/12/michael-carrick-danny-welbeck-injured-england With Welbeck injured, Defoe out of favour and Sturridge "possibly" nursing an injury Jrod Rickie and Adam Lallana will NEVER get a better chance than this to start an International match for England. Roy is obliged to start all three IMO - has no real choice anymore having picked them for his squad. Why would you NOT start all three knowing how well they link up together at club level? Is'nt one of the benefits being there understanding? All the great World Cup teams were great club teams at heart. Starting with West Ham in 1966 but Juventus in 1982 and 2006, Barcelona in 2010, Bayern Munich in 1974 and 1990 etc....it might be Southampton in 2014 or 2018......:-)

At present i'd say these, in this order: 1. CF.Rickie Lambert. Osvaldo is not Rickie. Yet. Jrod is Not Rickie. Lee is Not Rickie. No like for like replacement. Change in playing style probable. 2. CB. Lovren. Maya and Jos are a league or two below him. Big problemo. Not as big as last year though because we defend so much higher up the pitch than last year, but still big problem. 3.GK. Boruc. KD is experienced at our style of play and loyal and a great bloke, but he is not a top EPL reserve goalie. Nor is Gazza. No Boruc - disaster. 4.FB. Shaw and Clyne : We've seen what happens when they don't play. No overlaps, less offensive play, the opposition FB and wide players attack us ~ not the other way round. Chambers is promising as RB if NC goes to LB with LS out or if NC is injured but putting in Maya at LB or Fox is changing how we play - for the worse. Big problemo. 4. DM. Morgan/Big Vic. Cork or SD or JWP would replace them. But MS in particular is a class above in that defensive role. We got replacements that can adapt but not quite as good. 5. AM. Ads. On fire at present energy levels at 11. GR is misfiring. Jrod and JWP different types of player. No same standard replacement at present. No inspirational Ads in the team - we play a different kind of game. Problemo.

We are in the top three on merit - but id say its higher than where we will finish, and it needs to be at this stage of the season.Here's why: . I'm sure Mopo can see that we have a great first 15 or so but then we tail off significantly compared to the top 5/6 squads in the EPL. We've been lucky with injuries so far to that first 15 and lucky with no suspensions. YET. As the season progresses it is statistically very likely that we WILL pick up injuries and suspensions, small injuries not given enough time due to pressure to play "our best team" will get worse and compound / contribute towards getting injuries elsewhere. The grounds will get harder, more bruising less healing time. In our favour is NO Carling Cup NO Europa League or CL, unlike the top four. Also in our favour is that its a far wider and more open EPL than i can recall - anyone can beat anyone it seems with no truly outstanding invincible teams. Against us is our relatively thin squad, International call ups for the first time for some of our best players will cause extra fatigue they are unused to and our hi tempo hi energy style of play. Yes we appear fitter at this stage of the season but can the same 15 players keep it up for 38+matches - i think unlikely and we will probably start to tail off but with the benefit of our fast start this might translate into a top 6/7 finish. So- my view is our best 15 is proven to be as good as anyone in the EPl over 11 matches. But the title is won after 38 so we would need to be very lucky avoiding injury and suspensions to keep this up in the absence of January reinforcements. If we do get someone In January I think that Mopo will have learned lessons from previous transfers. In order to hit the ground running the new guy(s) ideally need to be already familiar with his coaching and our hi pressing style of play so that they can fit in straight away. So we won't be buying another Mayuka for instance or Lee. Ever Banega though is much more like it and a Spanish/South American styled FB also. I would be surprised if we did not look at a at least one additional player - if only one then id say probably a positionally flexible, very fit, very skillful midfielder who never gives the ball away, tackles back but can also score.

I wonder if people realise that if Welbeck stays injured Roy has given us a massive hint that Jrod will start versus Chile? And bearing in mind he will play his more standard/default team against Germany and his more experimental team against Chile (hint- look at what he said about Hart- not starting the first but will start v Germany) then I would suggest Roy might be inclined to pair Jrod with Rickie and put Adam on to supply them both as a way to get that Southampton way pressing up front bonus. Of course it may be Rooney Sturridge Jrod - but somehow i doubt it. I reckon there will be three Southampton players on the pitch at the same time v Chile at some point - and a good chance that they will all start too!

Ads, Clyne, Shaw should all get a chance based on form this season. Young, english players in a top six team all season. What more do you want? The latter two a fundamental part of the best defense in the EPL and Ads because he is one of the best AM's, certainly of english descent, in the EPL this season. I hope SRL stays in the squad - if he is dropped for this particular squad Id say its curtains for the World Cup - and as I don't think Roy would want to do that at this stage I am reasonably confident he will get in.

I got in Arsenal without a ticket a few years back with Pavsaint when WGS was manager. Cash in gate home end. Wear a suit or smart casual. Don't sing saints songs or cheer when / if we score. Neither was a problem. If you go this year id be very surprised if there's not tickets available outside from touts. Wait til kick off and just after and they will be cheap as chips.

Some cracking anecdotes in there. Ive had some very similar experiences as well travelling away without tickets....Ive been to a few grounds without tickets and it almost became my favourite because it was more of a challenge and often i was too lazy to get tickets the proper way ie queue at dell or elsewhere.... and got in one way or another. You got to have a bit of the eyes open about you to suss out whats possible, which guy on a gate might be the one lets you in for a tenner, which time its good to get in the home end incognito anyway, you have to ask ask ask every saints fan you see around the ground if they got a spare...get to the saints pub early and do same...one of my favourite stories was when i went to our fa cup semi at white hart lane v liverpool (wright broke his leg rush scored- i think the match is a blur i was probably you know what )..anyway I had two tickets but my mate was nowhere to be seen and it was getting dead close to kick off so i thought - " i'll flog his ticket" ....anyways a bloke asks me if i got an tickets for sale (seeing as i decided to advertise a ticket for sale out loud but not in front of OB) so he asks how much were they ( i think they were £12.50 each! ) and i blurted out £25 as that's what id paid for them ....so he goes I'll have two then please....so i was stunned as i never sold a ticket above face value before but this bloke thought i was asking double- and he wanted two! I'm having that i thought....so i ended up selling my two tickets to this guy for £50 which was a fair amount them days but the problem was it was virtually kick off and i have not only sold my mates ticket but mine too!....so who should then turn up but my mate! Bit of a dodgy situation but at least he hadnt paid for the tickets- i had - but Panic ! So i'm running around now trying to look cool but not really when i see touty looking geezers and I had enough nous to know that they know after kick off tickets are worth diddly....so i "negotiated " two tickets with them, still with Saints, for £15....result! Got us in plus £30 extra back ie more than what i originally paid! And i only charged my late arriving hence his fault mate £7.50 for his ticket and that was my brucey extra bonus for drinks too :-)....i got a few more stories but they can wait....ps he was happy- he saved £5 on his ticket so everyone happy. Capitalism. Marvelous isn't it!

Wow! Amazing to get two ends of the spectrum responses to one post. Someone thought it was a well-reasoned post but you thought it was utter garbage. Its a bit like watching Saints play and then coming on here to find that someone else at the match had the diametrically opposite point of view of how it went to you. It does happen quite a lot but it can confuse. Was i watching the same match? I don't recall a two word dismissal before on what I thought was a fairly harmless little post of mine but anyway thanks for your feedback, its the kind of thing you might say in the pub to your mate,but, just a heads up though Charlie, online it does come across as not so friendly. You don't think what I wrote regarding GR has any bearing on his form for Saints in any way shape or form at all? OK. What do you put it down to then?

One of GR's big selling points when we got him was that he had either the best or certainly top 10 stats in Seria A for successful dribbling and for fouls against. And that was in an unfashionable mid to lower table team on Cagliari who outperformed as a consequence with his impact. In other words he ran with the ball a lot and quite often got illegally challenged. I suspect ( well i think its pretty much an accepted fact) that an illegal challenge in Italy is going to be less obvious than what we see here in the EPL which is notoriously " tougher" though ostensibly running according to same UEFA refereeing guidelines. There's a lot more falling over and rolling around for what appears hardly anything and free kicks awarded by consequence in Italy. You can get knocked unconscious here and it's not a foul......;-) GR has had to adjust to that. If he goes on a dribble and is nudged then its not an immediate foul.this is a problem for him and Saints. Its perverse but at the highest international level his technical characteristics will actually be better suited to matches such as in the slow slow slow quick pace of the Rio World Cup than EPL matches. A lot of his dribbles came from a central midfield area in serie A. If he does that in EPL and loses the ball because " its not been given as a foul" then we are in danger of counter attack. So, he is having to totally adapt his game to play two different ways - one which is what he'grew up being Good at and the other the way saints want him to play. Jrod and Rickie and Osvaldo have all had to do this - with mixed success. He is just like them in that regard - but younger. If he stays at SFC I'd back him to come good and then kick on to being a great player for us, tough times for him at present though so its a real test of character. I really hope he comes through. If we see him next year scoring s screamer for Uruguay against Brazil and think" he used to be a saint" what a bummer that would be!

IF repeat IF we beat Sunderland then I would expect MoPo to select a similar team to play against Chelsea in the next round. Meaning KD in goal, GR, Jos, Maya, Guly, Cork, Lee, Chambers etc starting and a bench that's got Isgrove, Rowe, Stephens etc on it. The likes of MS, VW, LS and NC will be kept away from these non-critical path matches as our risk assessment suggests they are needed for the main goal - and so should not be exposed to possible injury in that bid to achieve a high level EPl placement. There is only ONE cup - and that is the Champions League Trophy. All the others in European football are virtually irrelevant nowadays. That's a shame for sure and I bitterly regret it, but its true. I doubt anyone knows who won the Italian Cup last year- or the Dutch Belgian or french equivalent, or even cares, but you know which Italian or French team is playing in the Champions league though...QED. The CC cup is how we "rest" the first team and give experience and game time to the rest of the squad. It's what the Capital Cup is used for these days by every EPL team. Look at Wigan last year if you want to see what the downsides of a full strength cup team policy is.

For those Saints supporters that don't know, Herbie produces what many consider the definitive match report for most (if not all) home matches at St Marys. He published this on Saintslist which is a yahoo based forum ( just google it and you will find out how to access it) and by midnight or sometimes the next day or so you get a comprehensive incredibly detailed always consistent report on the match much superior to anything elsewhere in the media or on here or the UI site. For Saints fans who cannot get to the match or who cannot watch on TV/internet or radio its the next best thing. If I want to know about a home Saints match I check what Herb has written for corroboration and he is rarely in error. The good thing as well is that he is not only knowledgeable and passionate about Saints but that he is always fair in his opinions too. He has favorites and not so favorites but invariably calls the player and the game as he sees it without prejudice. Well worth the (free) subscribing to the SaintsList just to read what Herb writes.